Abbott defends Slipper's travel

TONY Abbott has backed Peter Slipper’s huge travel bills but has admitted he is not across the detail.

Mr Abbott yesterday said it was “fair and reasonable” that travel expenses be paid for Mr Slipper’s travel between the Sunshine Coast and Canberra.

“Members of parliament are entitled to travel from their place of residence to Canberra for sittings of parliament,” Mr Abbott said.

“I’m satisfied (Mr Slipper) has acted within his entitlements. My understanding is that he’s acted within his entitlements.”

However the Coalition leader said he was not familiar with the details of Mr Slipper’s huge travel bills during six months of 2009.

Mr Abbott has pledged he will cut waste if elected.

Mr Slipper, the current member for Fisher, has said his travel costs were incurred in the course of his duties as a member of parliament’s Public Works and Constitutional and Legal Affairs committees.

His costs to taxpayers include him travelling to Brisbane Airport in taxis at around $290 a trip to catch flights to Canberra through Sydney rather than flying from Sunshine Coast Airport.

The Daily reported on Tuesday that Mr Slipper incurred more than $6000 in taxi fares in a 15-day period in July and early August, 2009. Closer examination of the MP’s expenses compared with other parliamentarians are startling.

In the second six months of 2009, Mr Slipper spent $75,990.23 on airfares, private car, Com Cars, hire cars, taxis and publications.

By comparison, National Party leader Warren Truss spent $62,567.26, Member for Longman John Sullivan spent $32,892.16 and member for Fairfax Alex Somlyay spent $25,328.64.

The amount was also greater than that spent by all 17 other members of the two committees on which he serves, including those who fly to Canberra from Western Australia.

If airfares are stripped out, Mr Slipper spent $43,967.02 on private cars, Com Cars, hire cars, taxis and publications in just six months compared with the $14,948.57 spent by Mr Somlyay, $24,320.33 by Mr Truss and $15,807.54 by Mr Sullivan.

Mr Slipper also outspent by tens of thousands of dollars every other member of the Public Works and Constitutional and Legal Affairs committees on which he sat, including the chairman of both.

His $43,967.02 bill for private cars, Com Cars, hire cars, taxis and publications compared with the $11,582.38 spent by Public Works chairwoman, Senator Jan McLucas, and the $12,802.34 spent by Constitutional and Legal Affairs head Mark Dreyfus.

Mr Slipper has failed to provide detail of the expenses for even small sections of the six-month audit period.

“With regard to the period in July and early August, although Parliament was not sitting, there was a range of Parliamentary and committee commitments, which necessitated travel to various cities.”